Apparatus for heating water for domestic use



Nov. 10, 1931.

G. M. CONEKIN 1,830,930

APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE Filed May 15, 1930 Qwmntox George M Cone/fin,

-25 the smoke pipe to the chimney Patented Nov. 10, 1931 PATENT OFFICE GEORGE MORRIS GONEKIN, OF AS HEVILLE, NORTH. CARCLINA.

APPARATUS FOR HEATING WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE Application filed May 15, 1930. Serial No. 452,745.

The invention relates to an apparatus for heating water for domestic uses.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of apparatus for heating water for domestic uses and to prowithin the same to impinge more thoroughly" with the heating surfaces within the tank whereby a. more rapid and uniform heating of the water within the tank is accomplished.

Another object of theinvention is to provide awater heater adapted to utilize for heating water within the said water tank the heat from the smoke or other products of combustion which pass from a boiler through and which is ordinarily not utilized and lost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water heater in which the supplying water and the heating water do not mix whereby the heating pipes or heating elements will not become coated with scale or mud, but will remain clean.

A further object of the invention is to enable water to be heated with a relatively low 5 pressure in the boiler and in an auxiliary heater so that the danger of boiler explosions will be reduced to practically zero,

l/Vith these and other objects in view, the invention. consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended.a it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of the advantages thereof.

in the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a water heating apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig 2 is a detail view illustrating the arrange'ment of a plurality of heating units or radiators for increasing the capacity of the water heater. i

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one end of the inner heater pipe.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a boiler designed for domestic heating and having its water jacket connected by a main feed pipe 2 with a vertical heater pipe 3 extending through a vertical hot water tank 4 of the ordinary con- 6 struction, The main feed pipe 2 which may v be arranged in any preferred manner extends upwardly from the top of the boiler and then horizontally to a point above the top of the hot water tank. The heater pipe 3 extends through the tank 4 centrally thereof and its upper and lower ends are connected by suitable couplings 5 and 6 with the main feed pipe 2 and with a return pipe 7 which extends from the lower end of the heater pipe 3 to the boiler. The heater pipe 3 which displaces the water centrally of the hot water tank is provided with an inner heater pipe 8 of materially less diameter than the main heater pipe 3 and extending longiti'zdinally so thereof to points spaced from the hot water tank 4. The inner heater pipe 8 may be va ried in length and diameter and it is connected by suitable elbows 9 and nipples 10 with the walls of the main heater pipe 8. The nipples are cast or otherwise secured in the wall of the heater pipe 3 and they pierce the latter and communicate with the water in the hot water pipe exteriorl y of the heater pipe 3. The inner heater pipe 8 will cause a circulation of the water within the inner pipe 8. [is soon as it becomesheated will rise and pass out through the upper end of the pipe.

increased as the heater pipe will not only 11% have its exterior surface exposed to the Water within the hot water tank t, but the water of the hot water tank will pass through the inner pipe'and by this constant circulation of the water within the hot water tank will be brought into contact with the heater pipe 3 and the inner pipe 8 and a more uniform and rapid heating of the water will be obtained.

The water within the hot water tank is also heated by an auxiliary heating unit 11 which is preferably in the form of a radiator section as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and which is connected by feed and return pipes 12 and 13 with an auxiliary heater 14. The auxiliary heater 14 which is preferably in the form of a radiator is arranged within a shell or casing 15 which is disposed in the smoke pipe 16 extending from the boiler to the chimney or flue. The smoke pipe is composed of inner and outer sections or portions, the inner section or portion connecting the lower portion of the shell or casing 15 with the boiler and the outer portion extending from the upper portion of the shell or casing 15 to the chimney or flue. The smoke and other products of combustion passing from a boiler to the chimney impinge against the radiator or heating unit 14 and a large amount of the heat of such smoke and products of combustion usually lost is utilized and the water within the auxiliary heater 14 is highly heated and is caused to flow from the top of the auxiliary heater 14 through the main feed pipe 12 to the top of the radiator or heating unit 11.

When the heat of the water within the radiator or heating unit 11 is absorbed by the water within the hot water tank, the water within the said radiator or'heating unit will flow downwardly and return to the auxiliary heater through the return pipe 13.

Thefeed and return pipes pierce the wall of-the hot water tank and they may be arranged at any convenient position to suit the re uirements at the place of installation.

The auxiliary heater forms a part of a W ater circuit composed of the auxiliary heater, the heating unit 11 and the feed and return pipes and the pressure of the water within such circuit is controlled by an expansion tank 21. A pressure regulator connecting pipe 17 connects the return pipe 18 of the auxiliary heater with the return pipe 7 of the water circuit formed by the boiler, the heater pipe 3 and the feed and return pipes 2 and 7. A relief valve 18 is provided for preventing the pressure withinthe heating circuits from increasing beyond a predetermined degree. The equalizer is a connecting pipe which will equalize the pressure in both the boiler and the auxiliary heater. Should one heat faster than the other, this connection puts both sys tems under the control of one expansion tank and one relief valve. Connections can be nected at the bottom by a pipe 23 with'the pipe 19 and with'the water heating system of the boiler is provided at the top with a water gauge 24 of the ordinary construction for indicating the pressure of the water in the heating system so that the operator may ascertain at a glance whether the water heating system has the required amount of water or whether it is necessary to supply an additional amount by opening the valve 22. i

The hot water tank is connected at the top by a feed pipe 25 with a storage tank 26. The latter is connected at the bottom by a short pipe 27 with a return pipe 28 and with the city water supply pipe 29 which conducts the city water to the hot water tank 4. The pipe connections may, of course, be arranged in any desired manner and the storage tank may be arranged at any convenient location and the pipes arranged to suit the place where the installation is made. The main feed pipe 2 of the boiler is provided with an air vent 30 which is preferably located above the upper end of the heater pipe 3 for permitting the escape of air. The hot water tank and the feed pipe 25 are also provided with air vents 31 and 32 for permitting the escape of air from the hot water tank 4 and also from the storage tank 26, the air vent 32 being preferably arranged at a point above the storage tank and the connection between the same and the feed pipe 25. An air vent 33is also pro-- vided for the feed pipe 12' of the auxiliary heater and is preferably located directly above the auxiliary heater 14. The supply tank is provided with a draw off valve 330 and a thermometer 34 is provided at the feed pipe 12 for indicating the temperature of the water going from the auxiliary heater to the heating unit or reservoir.

The capacity of the heating apparatus may be increased by increasing the size of the tank 4 and the number of the heating units or radiator sections.

This may be conveniently done by providing side units or radiator sections 35 located at opposite sides of the central radiator section or unit 11. as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The side heating units or radiator sections 35 are designed to be con nected by suitable feed and return pipes 36 and 37 'with the feed and return pipes of the auxiliary heater 14.

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The auxiliary heater is preferably supported by standards 38 of tubular formation ,provided at their lower ends with flanges or collars 39 and having their upper ends coupled to the auxiliary heater. The collars 0r flanges 39 which are in the form of caps are designed to be securely fastened to the floor of the supporting surface upon which the heating apparatus is mounted.

What is claimed is 1. An apparatus of the class described including a boiler having a smoke pipe, at hot water tank, an auxiliary heater having a casing mounted in the smoke pipe, a heating unit arranged within the hot water tank, feed and return pipes connecting the heating unit with the auxiliary heater, a heaterpipe arranged in the tank, feed and return pipes connecting the heater pipe with the boiler, and means for equalizing the pressure of the auxiliary heater with that of the boiler.

2. An apparatus of the class described including a boiler having a smoke pipe, a hot water tank, an auxiliary heater having a casing mounted in the smoke pipe, a heating unit arranged within the hot water tank, feed and return pipes connecting the heating unit with the auxiliary heater. a heater pipe arranged in the tank, feed and return pines connecting the heaterpipe with the boiler, and a pressure equalizing device connecting the said return pipes for equalizing the pressure in the auxiliary heater with that of the boiler.

3. Heating apparatus including a boiler, a tank. a heater in the tank connected with the boiler by feed and return pipes, an auxiliary heater in the tank, aheating un t in circuit with the auxiliarv heater and utilizing the smoke and products of combustion as heating means, and an expansion tank common to-the tank and the main and aux the smoke and products of combustion as heating means, an expansion tank in communication with the hot water tank and the main and auxiliary heating circuits, and a storage tank having direct communication with the hot water tank and the expansion tank.

5. Heating apparatus including a boiler,

a hot water tank, main and auxiliary heaters in the hot water tank, the main heater being in circuit with the boiler, andthe auxiliary heater being in a circuit utilizing the smoke and products of combustion as independent heating means, the main and auxiliary heating circuits being in communication, an exmy hand.

GEORGE M. CONEKIN. 

